A Diva, A ShowOff and The Little Girl Who Needed A Family
by xoxoyouknowyouwantmexoxo
Summary: (au, ziggler / oc, no flames, please) Jenny Vaughn is a Diva who's Dolph Ziggler's polar opposite. She's also just recently taken in a little girl (who is actually a daughter she was forced to give up for adoption at 17) who adores them both. Can one little girl bring two completely different people together? And how will Jenny and Alexa handle a WWE life?
1. meet jenny vaughn

_O.o.O_

_Hey! I'm Alexa and I'm 5. I used to live in a childrens home but then one day, Miss Mattie, the lady who owns the place, well.. She unknowingly found my mommy. And my mommy came to see me, because I asked for that as a birthday present without ever knowing she was even my mommy to begin with. See, I like wrestling.. And my mommy's a Diva. Her name's Jenny. And when she was little, she lived in the same childrens home as I did. She had to give me up for adoption though, when I was born, because she was only 17 and she couldn't be a mommy. The people who adopted me died and I wound up in the same childrens home as she was in. Weird, huh?_

_But this story's not just about that, really.. It's about me and my mommy's adventures in the WWE, how I try and play matchmaker between my mommy and the Show Off (who is the guy I wanna call daddy, cause duh, he's super cool and stuff) and a lot of other stuff. Who knows.. by the end of it, I might even finally have my very own forever family._

_But I'm boring so I'll get on with it._

* * *

O.o.O

Jenny Vaughn had been a Diva for almost 3 years now. And somehow, she'd managed to escape the radar of nearly everyone, fans and higher ups alike. She wasn't dying for a push, she enjoyed random chaos during her dark matches just fine, thank you much. So it surprised her when after Smackdown, Paul Levesque, the company COO stopped her in the middle of the hallway and handed her an envelope then said with a shrug "Apparently, Ms. Vaughn, you have no forwarding address, but this person knew you worked for the WWE."

She turned over the letter and it'd been opened, retaped. "Why in the fuckin hell did you read it?" she demanded angrily, her hand on her hip, her eyes fixed on her boss, anger blazing in the warm brown of them. He chuckled and then asked "Something wrong? It did come directly to my office. So yes, I opened the damn thing.. If I was a dick, I'd have kept the damn thing. But I came to find you, gave it to you.. It's called saying thank you."

He walked away and she flipped him off, rolled her eyes as she leaned against the wall, slid the letter out of the envelope and promptly began to smile just a little more, just a little brighter than she had in a long time.

The letter, you see, was from the woman who'd essentially been like a surrogate mother to her, Miss Matilda Devain. They hadn't spoken since she left the children's home at 18, but Mama Mattie clearly hadn't forgotten her 'almost daughter' and as promised, she was reaching out.

Jenny slid down the wall, knees scrunched up to her chin almost as she held the letter and read it, eyes dancing along each line, laughing and rolling her eyes, biting her lip at the bad things, feeling that long lost happy smile of her youth tug at the corners of her full lips at the happier things.

Then, as usual, Mama Mattie got down to the point of the letter. Jenny was almost on the last page now, and a picture fluttered out, fell onto the floor.

The little girl was probably about 4, she had black hair up in two crooked pigtails. She had the chubbiest and rosiest cheeks ever, and Jenny found herself curious (_and thinking for a moment, oddly, that if her own little girl were with her now, not happy with more deserving parents, she'd look just like this_), biting short and bitten black polished nails as she read about the little girl in the photograph.

Apparently, the little girl was one of very few fans that Jenny actually had.. And the day before Wrestlemania 30 was her birthday. She was going to turn 5, and her one birthday wish?

To meet Jenny Vaughn.

And a few others too, Jenny laughed as she read off the long list of birthday wishes, but mostly, Mama Mattie remarked in the letter, Alexa Green just wanted to meet and spend the day with Jenny Vaughn.

Something about the date had Jenny curious, but she wouldn't actually stop and think about it until much later.. And when she did, she would remember all the old pain, all the heartache she'd felt having to watch some other couple take her little girl out of her arms just an hour after the little girl had been born.. She might have** thought** she blocked it out, but that kind of pain really tends to linger with a girl.

She rose from the floor and shoving the letter down into the pocket of her black denim cutoffs, she carefully put her black framed reading glasses back into her pocket and walked down to Levesque's office.

She slid the letter across the desk and said quietly, "I'm not that big a deal.. Nobody's gonna be linin up to see me at Fan Axxess.. I'd personally rather not go, not when there's something else I gotta do."

"I already scheduled it for you, kid. Thank me later." he said as he waved his hands dismissively, mostly she suspected just to get her out of the office and out of his hair. She nodded, shuffled out. And then she found the nearest payphone..

It'd been a long time since she'd dialed the numbers but she knew them by heart. And the second Mama Mattie's heavy Cajun accent spoke into the phone, she couldn't help but smile a little. "Guess who, Mama Mattie?"

"You got my letter, girl?"

"I did, actually.. I'm gonna be there.. But that little girl.. Any reason you sent all that information?"

"Just think maybe you oughta consider bein a mama.. Maybe you won't f eel the need to go divin off of that big metal thing every show? Or that damn dirt track racin you like so much. I never could understand, girl, for the life of me why you spent so much time tryin to break your little neck. I worry, you know." Matilda said as Jenny chuckled and raked her hands through her hair, leaned against the wall and said with a few deep breaths, "It is so good to hear your voice right now.. I mean you really have no idea how good it feels."

"I ain't even done with my lecture yet, girl, stop butterin me up.. Why in the fresh hell do you not have a house of your own? You makin all that money, can't put a decent roof over your head, girl?" Matilda asked as Jenny grimaced and then bit her lower lip then said quietly, "I tried.. I got an apartment.. I just.. I don't like bein tied down, okay?"

"Girl, you need roots."

"Don't, Mama Mattie, please? I think we both know why that's not gonna happen." Jenny said as the woman on the other end of the line sighed and then said quietly, "I know.. But if it helps, girl.. You did the right thing back then.. And maybe now you could look for that precious little baby?"

"I'd be a shitty parent, anyway. I barely take care of myself. And I don't know the first thing about kids, about taking care of them, about love.." Jenny said as Matilda shook her head and stared at the phone before answering "Don't you ever let me hear you saying that stuff again. You know everything about love, about putting your own child first.. What was it you did when you had to make that decision and give that precious little one up in the first place? Because, girl, I was right here with you.. And I know how it hurt. I watched you grievin it."

Jenny sighed and shrugged then said "I wanted to let you know I'm gonna come.. I need to see you anyways, I haven't in so long, if I were your real kid.. I'd be one helluva lot worse than Johnny is.."

"Girl.. You've done more for me, you've been more of a daughter to me than that sorry bum of a son Johnny ever will be. Don't say that.. I know how it is, work's work and you barely get any time to yourself as it is. But you could call an old woman, hon."

"Hint taken." Jenny laughed as she gently placed the phone back onto it's cradle and turned to walk away, finding herself chest to chest with a curious Dolph Ziggler. She scowled and stared at him a moment then asked "What?"

He shrugged, said nothing. _Then again, the company Show Off didn't often associate himself with dark match losers like Jenny Vaughn_, she thought to herself as he called out when she was walking away, "That was a good match earlier. Thought it was funny when you took Alicia's crazy and turned it around on her."

She waved off the compliment, or whatever it was he was doing and then said "She got in my face, Ziggler, so I got back in hers. Nothing major. Nice move earlier. It's about time somebody stood up and said what everybody else thinks."

"Everybody else, huh? You mean you don't agree? Because if the prettier and cattier girls weren't what this company wanted, Jenny.."

"I do this because I wanna.. And it's one helluva lot cheaper than anger management." Jenny stated bluntly as she turned and walked away, leaving Dolph to stand there, watching her walk away, puzzle over her comments.

He smirked a little to himself. At least she hadn't totally shut him down tonight. And he had to wonder to himself, who had she been talking to on the phone earlier? Who's kid did she shove a picture of down into her pocket quickly. And why did she look like she were about to cry at any moment?

Nobody really knew her, so he didn't know what might be going on.. Just like he honestly didn't know why he was suddenly concerned or curious about her lately. But he'd been noticing her for a while now, and he'd realized that she really didn't have many friends..

_Okay, strike that_, he thought to himself, _she had no friends. She didn't seem to care either, it seemed to suit her just fine.. why the hell was it bothering him so much then?  
_He shook his head and walked down the hallway, into catering. As usual, she sat there, alone, eating. She looked like she was reading something too, carefully keeping it hidden. Zack Ryder nudged him and he jumped a little, giving his friend a glare as Zack asked calmly, "Broski, why do you stand around and stare? Why not go over and speak?"

"Because, genius.. Remember when Ryback went over to try and speak?"

"Ryback was being an asshole though. You like her."

"I never actually said that." Dolph insisted for what had to be the third time this week alone, to Zack who shook his head stubbornly and then said with a smirk "You kinda don't have to, broski. It's not that hard to figure out."

"So? She doesn't like people.. Like any people, at all." Dolph insisted, any excuse, he figured at this point, would suffice. He didn't actually want to go over and talk to her because for one thing, he wasn't entirely sure why he'd even noticed her in the first place. They were on totally different sides of the spectrum personality wise... She liked metal music, horror movies, driving fast and loved fights.. He liked everything the complete opposite.

"Opposites attract." Zack teased as Dolph gave him a warning glare and then asked pointedly, "Don't you have a Twitter to tend to or something?"

"Somebody's grumpy today." Zack muttered as he wandered off, leaving Dolph to his thoughts. And all Dolph could think about was why not go and talk to her? It might just end this damn fascination he had with her in the first place.. It couldn't hurt.

But just now, she certainly hadn't seemed to be in a talking mood.

Jenny rubbed her neck and looked up, looked around catering. Dolph Ziggler looked down just as she looked up, but she stared at him for a moment, perplexed, her hand winding through her long dark hair slowly as she muttered "I don't honestly fuckin get that guy. " and shook her head. She went back to reading the letter that Matilda sent for her, wondering if maybe now wasn't the time to look for the baby she'd had to give up for adoption at age 17...

With shaking hands, she stood and walked out into a more private area of the backstage.. And she made the call finally. After speaking with the hospital and the people who'd handled her child's adoption, she felt sick to find out that the people who'd actually adopted her little baby girl had died before the little girl was even two weeks old.. They'd been in a car accident or something, there had been no survivors.

For the first time, in a long time, Jenny sat down and actually sobbed. She assumed that the baby died in the accident too, though the woman at the hospital said that there was no mention of a baby dying that night, or was there a mention of a baby being in the accident when she talked to the local police precinct for the town the couple had taken her baby to when they'd adopted it. She stood on shaky legs, feeling tired and drained, sad and angry and walked out to her car in the parking garage. "Lot of good it did me to look." she muttered to herself as she unlocked her rental car and got in, driving back to the hotel.

Once she was in her room, she broke down again and raided the mini bar. She'd only gotten to hold her daughter one damn time.. And she'd always told herself that one day, she'd try and find her daughter at least to see how those people who'd taken her were treating her, if she had the loving home she deserved.

Now she'd never know the answer, she figured.

But what she didn't realize was that she was completely and totally wrong.. And that Miss Mattie had actually done something for her, totally unaware of it. And soon, everything would make itself right where Jenny and the baby she gave up for adoption were concerned.

All she knew currently was that she just wanted to drink herself numb. She was hurting worse than she'd hurt the first time she'd given up her little girl, the pain was deep and sharper now, because for all Jenny knew currently, she'd probably just lost her daughter a second time. And she also felt angry, disgusted with herself.

She didn't deserve to grieve. If she'd really been a good mother, she'd have kept the baby girl in the first place. Even though she knew that anger and disgust was misguided, she knew how much pain and thought went into her decision to let a couple who couldn't have kids but could afford to provide for them and would definitely love them adopt her little girl.

She hadn't been the same since and now she might not ever be the same again. Everything just hurt right now, it hurt too much to express, really. And Jenny realized just how much she'd thrived on knowing that somewhere out there, her little girl was being taken care of, that she was safer, more loved, happier and certainly better off than she'd ever have been with Jenny.

Now that was gone and she had nothing really left to hold on to.


	2. the show off has a crush? whatevs

O.o.O

She'd just sat down in catering and started reading the text Mama Mattie sent her earlier, another 'lecture' of sorts, she'd pulled a Summer Rae and called Layla a cunt on live television.. Either way, she was laughing when she heard a throat clear, looked over and found Dolph Ziggler, Zack Ryder and Santino Marella sitting at the same table as she was. She raised a brow and then muttered "Hi?" through a mouth full of Lucky Charms.

"Hey." Dolph said as he glared pointedly at Zack and Santino who nudged him, nodded at her. "Well?" Zack mouthed to his friend as Dolph glared and mouthed "Give me time, damn."

"You've had 3 months." Santino mouthed as he went on to add "In my country.." as Zack shook his head. They'd dragged their friend's ass over here because they were sick of the way Dolph stared like an idiot but never actually said anything to her. It wasn't like the cocky lovable jerk they knew and loved and frankly, they were confused as to why it was so hard to be himself with this one girl.

"So... You guys want somethin, or?" Jenny asked, eyeing the three males with curiousity, a hint of an amused smirk on her face. She wasn't known for being a people person in the back, truth be told, she enjoyed things that way. And she was really starting to wonder why all of a sudden Dolph ZIggler was popping up everywhere she happened to be. _If he was up to something_, she thought to herself, _he should come out with it already_.

She chewed her cereal, laughing at the response to the text she'd sent back to Mama Mattie moments before and then, finally, she asked the three males sitting at her table bluntly, "Well?"

"That was a good match tonight." Dolph said as neutrally as he could, smirking, his cocky grin coming a little easier. She looked at him and nodded, taking another bite of her cereal as she continued glancing downward at her text messages. She snickered a little and Dolph asked jokingly, "Boyfriend must be a funny guy."

"I actually don't have one. It's this woman who raised me back in Louisiana.. She's lecturing me about saying the c word on live television. And pantsing Layla El."

Dolph couldn't actually help but laugh at that and then he asked in curiousity, "Your mom?"

"Kinda. It's a long story. Not really the kinda girl who gives too much about her personal shit out.. Nice try though." Jenny joked right back.. _Okay, Ziggler's fishing for information, obviously_ she thought to herself as she spooned in another bite of cereal before asking him "Any reason you're so curious all of a sudden?"

Dolph shrugged nonchalantly, smirked and then said "Well, I do know everyone... Everyone but you. Don't you want people you work with to know you?"

Jenny shrugged, then laughing said casually, "Sure.. I mean they don't ask me shit so I don't tell. I'm not the kind of girl who's gonna go lookin for people to like me. I like me, I'm fine with it being that way." which Dolph nodded and smiled his usual megawatt cocky grin at this. "So.. Do you just not like Layla El?"

"Actually, some shit went down in the locker room before I attacked her tonight. She got on my shit list. You don't go nosing through my personal crap, and you definitely don't photo copy it and pass it around the Diva's locker room.. Upside to this is that I found out Summer Rae's not as annoying as all fuck as I previously thought her to be. She's actually kinda useful."

Dolph snickered and then asked "So you're from Louisiana?"

"Ouais, je suis de la Louisiane .. Etes-vous vraiment de l'Ohio, chere?" Jenny replied, smirking as he gave her a strange look. She explained quickly, "I answered your question. Mama Mattie, she taught us all French and Creole.. I also asked if you're really from Ohio? I mean a month or so ago, you were listed as bein a Florida boy?"

Dolph raked his hand through his platinum blond hair as he thought to himself "_This is going better than I thought it would.. The speaking French thing is kinda cute.. Wait, what the fuck? Seriously? I am NOT losing my shit over a girl I barely know. I'm the Show Off, this kind of crap does not happen to me." _and watched her eating the Lucky Charms, laughing when she dropped some of the cereal onto her lap. "Messy eater."

"I enjoy food." Jenny stated plainly as she held his gaze and licked her lips. If he was playing some kind of game right now.. She shook her head, clearing the thought from her mind as she stood and said "Off to go practice.. I got a match Friday night.. On the actual show. Kinda nervous." before stretching, giving the three males a nod and slinking out of catering, down the hallway.

Zack and Santino turned their attention to Dolph who was watching her walk out the door. "What, damn it?"

"This is new.. He's not being a cocky ass." Zack mused aloud as Santino nodded and then said with a shrug "What is it about her?" as Dolph shrugged and then said through gritted teeth "Actually, guys? Not really sure for once. And that really, really pisses me off."

Down the hallway, Jenny bumped into Summer Rae who smiled at her and asked "Ready for our tag match Friday?"

Jenny smirked confidently and said "Just save me a piece of Layla's ass and we're good, chica.. Hey, is it me or is Ziggles actin plain weird to you lately?" Summer Rae mulled it over for a few moments and then shook her head and asked "Why do you ask?"

"Just he keeps popping up and shit.. It's not like him. He's normally one of those cocky bastards, right? Who thinks the girl's gonna automatically drop her panties?" Jenny asked, not sure, but knowing she'd remembered hearing one of the other Divas make the remark about the guy once or twice in passing while they were all backstage. Summer Rae shrugged and said "Kinda, but not really.. I mean he's not a bad guy. Just brutally honest.. Why? Did he try something on you, chica?"

"Nope, but I've got this feeling.. Guy's up to something.. He's gotta be if he's trying to talk to my not important ass." Jenny said as she and Summer Rae walked out into the parking lot. Summer Rae began to fan as Jenny lit up a cigarette. "How do you do that? You know those things make your breath smell like an ashtray, right?" Summer asked the diva as Jenny shrugged and said while exhaling, "I've done it since I was probably 16. Tried quitting, I don't think I've got the willpower, actually. So... Wanna like, grab a pizza and strategize about the match? I think I have a plan to shut her up.."

"Sounds like the best idea ever.." Summer Rae said as the two women got into the rental car and headed back to the hotel.


	3. pizza and conversation

O.o.O

"So you gave her up for adoption? How old were you?" Summer Rae asked as she grabbed another slice of pizza and then fixed her eyes on her tag team partner with interest and curiousity. Jenny Vaughn rarely opened up to anyone, the fact that she was being so candid and blunt now was actually kind of really making Summer Rae abandon all previous thoughts she had about Jenny being a bitch that hated everyone but herself. They actually had quite a bit in common.

Jenny chewed her slice of pizza in thought and then nodded as she looked at the blonde across the booth and said quietly "Yeah.. I was seventeen.. I knew I couldn't take care of the little girl, so I did some digging, found a couple who could and were dying for a kid and couldn't have one. I only got to hold her one time before the doctors came and took her out of the room.." as her voice trailed off, a pained look lingered momentarily in her eyes as Summer asked quietly, "You okay?"

"I'm okay, just.. I tried to find her recently.. Turns out she's probably not even alive anymore. I'm still trying to figure out how you deal with that.. I mean I wasn't in her life, I wasn't her mom for Christ sakes but it just.. It fucking hurts." Jenny said as she took another bite from her pizza and then asked "What about you? This thing with El.. If it's over Fandouchebag.." looking at Summer Rae who shook her head, stirred her straw in the soda that sat in front of her as a 90's pop song played on the jukebox of the pizza place they'd chosen to eat in. She sighed and then said to Jenny quietly, "Not really, no.. We were drifting apart, everybody knew it. It's just.. I considered Layla a friend.. You don't do that to a friend..."

"I wouldn't." Jenny agreed as she sipped her own Sprite and then said "But she'll get hers in the end. Everybody gets theirs in the end." as she took a messy bite of pizza, Summer Rae laughed as she pointed out "You have sauce.. On your cheek."

"Probably so. I'm damn messy with food. People usually ask me if I was raised in a barn or something." Jenny scoffed as she smirked and shrugged it off. She wasn't the kind of girl who went around putting on airs, trying to pretend to be better than she or something entirely different from what she was. If you didn't like her she figured it was your problem, not hers. Summer Rae laughed and then said "Nothing bothers you, does it?"

"Yeah.. I just don't talk about the shit that does." Jenny answered as she spotted Dolph Ziggler walking in the doors. "The hell is he doing here?" she asked, making Summer Rae raise a brow and turn to look. When she saw Dolph walking towards their table, she couldn't resist taunting Jenny about it. Jenny, of course, scowled a little and shook her head.

He slid into the booth, on her side. She could smell the tangy crispness of his cologne and she looked at him and then said with a taunting smirk "Nous devons cesser de répondre comme ça." which made him chuckle and nod. She doubted he knew what she actually said, "We've got to stop meeting like this", but hey, two could play whatever game he was attempting to play.

"So.. Apparently, I've been chosen to talk to this group of kids while we're in New Orleans next week for Wrestlemania 30.. And Paul mentioned you'd be there?" Dolph said as he gave her a questioning look then looked down at the pizza, force of habit making her grab a slice, hold it out. She puzzled over why he'd want to waste a Saturday when he could be doing more selfish and self indulgent things going to talk to kids.. He looked at her and then after taking a bite, he pretended to pout when he said "You act like it's not something I'd do."

Summer Rae looked from Dolph to Jenny and then said "Not fair! I wanna go."

"We'll talk to him and tell him you wanna go too." Jenny said quickly, looking at Summer, giving her a grateful smile before looking at Dolph and then asking casually, "He say why? And where?"

Dolph said the name before she could even blink and then said with a smile, "This little girl, man.. She wrote the cutest letter to me.. Apparently, her birthday is the day before or after Wrestlemania, and she wants to see us." Jenny could've groaned inwardly.. Mama Mattie was definitely up to her old cupid tricks.. Jenny might have mentioned Dolph in passing during their earlier phone conversation, she might have called him a cute but equally cocky jerk, and naturally, now from the sound of it, Mama Mattie was off to the races.

Thank God Summer wanted to come along for the day. She just hoped to hell that Levesque actually let Summer come too, because she got this feeling that things would be very awkward if Summer weren't there.

Not that she actually considered Summer to be a close friend just yet, but still, it helped for once to have someone in your corner. Summer cleared her throat and then said with a smile, "We can go there and then we can hang out at Fan Axxess."

"That's actually not a bad idea." Jenny said as she sipped her Sprite, looking at Dolph carefully. What was he up to? What was his motive? And why in the hell was he acting completely and totally different than he normally did? She coughed and then covered quickly, forced herself back into the conversation to mention casually, "Why not invite more people? I mean it is for little kids.. And they don't ever get anything good like this.. Trust me." before taking a thoughtful bite of her pizza.

Dolph looked at her, a curious look in his eyes. If he didn't know any better, he'd almost swear that when she said that just now, she spoke from experience. And it only made him so much more curious about her, about her past... Maybe something happened to make her the girl she was now. Whatever it was, it had to have been hard and painful to go through.

"Sure.. I can talk to some of the guys, I know that Heath, Drew and Jinder are looking for something to do since their booth won't be up until around noon.. Maybe Zack could do it? Guy needs any press really." Dolph said as he made a mental note to text them all later, ask if they'd do this.. He just had this feeling that the more people there, the better off things would be.. Because Jenny bought out this whole weird and annoyingly dorky side of him and he didn't like it. He was cocky, good with girls and laid back. She made him act the exact opposite. And he had been the one to go in and suggest that maybe more than just Jenny could go to see those kids in that childrens home..

"That'd be great. So.. is that all or?" Jenny asked as Dolph smirked and said "I might be commentating on Smackdown." just to see what look she gave him. And as usual, she remained neutral. Which he found frustrating, really.

Other girls, you could look at them and sort of tell that they liked you or not.. Not Jenny.. You couldn't tell what she was thinking or feeling from one moment to the next. Jenny and Summer Rae continued to talk, Dolph continued to think to himself about the present situation he found himself in.. And what he could do to make things go his way.


	4. the process begins I

O.o.O

She sat in the driveway o f the childrens home, gazing at it's white French doors tentatively. Almost as tentatively as she had the first time she'd ever set foot in the place, when she'd barely been 8 years old.

She took one last long drag of the cigarette that dangled between her lips and Summer Rae, bless the girl, started spraying Love Spell all over the both of them and hissing "Are you nuts, Jen? This is a group of kids."

"And? Me smokin calms me, chere." Jenny said as she gave Summer Rae a sheepish smile and promptly put the cigarette out. The Range Rover that Dolph and Zack carpooled in while on the road pulled up beside them and she bit her lower lip. "I still wonder how the hell he got himself in the middle of this too.. I still say he's up to something." Jenny muttered suspiciously as Summer Rae shook her head.

Clearly, of the two of them, Summer Rae was fast learning that Jenny had no guydar.. She had no clue when a guy was even remotely interested in her. It was a refreshing trait, yes, but also a hilarious one when other people (namely her) could see the interested person but Jenny always assumed Dolph had alterior motives.

He tapped on the window of the Charger that Jenny and Summer Rae had been carpooling in together for the past few towns and then said with a smirk, "So? What are we waitin on?"

"Jenny to get her nerve together.. Sheesh, Ziggler.. She hasn't had to do this before.. We have." Summer Rae covered quickly, knowing Jenny's past by now, understanding just how huge her even coming back here to the childrens home she'd spent almost all her life in after so long away.

"Thanks" Jenny mouthed as Summer mouthed back "What're friends for anyway?" and the H2 Hummer that 3MB shared while on the road pulled in, as well as a few other vehicles.

_Somehow_, Jenny realized, _Ziggler had managed to smooth talk at least half the locker room that wasn't what the Authority deemed an A List player into coming today_. For that, she had to give him credit.

Still, though, the fact remained, he had to have something up his sleeve.. Maybe it was just doing things good publicly so that more people would become a fan of Ziggler._ Guys like Ziggler_, she thought to herself, _were almost always about what was best for their own best interests_.

The small group of Superstars were about to walk in together when the French doors opened and out flew the little girl in the photographs, barefoot and grinning, wearing baggy cammo cargo shorts, a white tanktop (one similar to the ones Jenny preferred to fight in, actually) and crooked pigtails.

Behind her stood Mama Mattie.

"Get on up here girl, give Mattie a hug." the woman called out as Jenny felt the groups collective gaze shift to her. She shrugged and smiled as she bent to pick up the little girl and then jogged up the stone steps to hug the curvy dark skinned woman who had her arms wide open.

"She knows that woman?" Zack asked as Ziggler shrugged. All he actually knew about Jenny was the little he'd managed to dig out of her in their sporadic and awkward conversations. Summer Rae said quietly, "Do not tell her I told any of you this.. But that woman is the closest thing Jenn had to a mother when she was little. She was one of those kids.. It's kinda why today was so important to her."

Dolph nodded. Now it made sense.. The lack of a permanent address (because if you looked in her rental cars there was usually more clothing in them than most of the other people on the roster carried just to go from town to town for each show, so h e figured that she had to basically be living out of her suitcases) the way she didn't trust or open up all that easily, the way she looked at him whenever he was just there trying to make conversation as if he were after something.

She honestly didn't know any other way to be, really. And now that he understood why she was the way she was, the odd thing was.. It didn't creep him out like it would have in the past.. He didn't feel like he'd normally feel..

Maybe he wasn't as shallow anymore?

Or maybe, he thought to himself, he really did feel something real and valid and slightly scary for the pint sized Cajun diva.

The little girl hugged Jenny and smiled up at her as she said quietly, "Thank ya for comin.. I know ya all so busy.. I'm never gonna forget this." as Mama Mattie said quietly, "These all the others you work with?"

"Yeah.. Apparently, Mama Mattie, that blond guy out there? Rallied all of them to come today too." Jenny said as Matilda broke into a bright grin and called out to the rest of the group "Y'all come on inside. It's darn hot out here."

The house seemed emptier than it had been before when Jenny lived under Matilda's roof. She looked around with a raised brow and Matilda said quietly, "Alexa's the only one I got right now.. All of the other little ones found homes.. All but her." and looked at Jenny. Jenny sucked in a breath and nodded. She'd been in Alexa's shoes when she lived here too, it'd happened on more than one occasion. Nobody wanted to adopt an older child, they wanted the youngest they could possibly get.

Alexa tapped Jenny and whispered in her ear "I likes it better this way, it more quiet.. Plus this doofus Ben ain't tryin to bug me all the time." which made Jenny smile and laugh a little. A throat cleared behind her and Summer Rae asked "So.. Where is the little birthday girl?" as Alexa giggled and pointed to herself, then the money pinned to her cargo pockets. She grinned brightly and said "I gots tickets to the show too.. I so excited!" as Jenny put the little girl down, let her hop up and down.

Matilda smiled and then happened to look in the direction of the blond male that Jenny nodded to earlier smiled to herself.

She'd be willing to bet her life on the fact that the man was interested in her Jenny and Jenny was completely and totally blind to it.

Zack sniffed the air and asked "Is that barbecue?"

"It is, hon.. Albert's just startin the grill." Matilda remarked as Zack burst out into a bright grin and said "Sweet."

Dolph gave him a dirty look and he gave one right back then asked "Are there other kids here?"

"Just Alexa here.. I had 3 other kids, all younger than this precious little bird here, but they got taken into homes.. Makes me both happy and sad." Matilda explained as she opened the sliding door that lead out into the patio.

The group gradually filtered out the door, but Dolph hung back, walking around the den, rubbing his chin as he easily found and identified the photos of Jenny when she was younger. Apparently, she'd been a lifelong wrestling fan.. And a bit of a danger magnet from the looks of some of the photos.

He chuckled to himself and the woman spoke from behind him and asked pointedly, "Why don't you just tell that poor girl?"

He turned to look at Matilda who gave him a smirk and then said with a wink, "Let me guess.. You try and she shuts down?"

"Not really, hell.. Excuse my language.. But talking to her even is like pulling teeth." Dolph admitted as Matilda nodded and looked out the window at Jenny and Alexa who were playing in the yard. "She'd have been a good mama, that one. Damn shame what happened."

Dolph raised a brow but didn't ask. Matilda said quietly, "She could've had her own little one.. But she had to choose between what was right for the baby .. After that? She kind of shut everyone and everything out.. She left one day, didn't hear from her that often.. Then one night, I turn on NXT for Alexa, and there she is."

"How long has Alexa been here?"

"Since she was a baby.. Showed up not too long after Jenny left.. Her parents died in a car crash." Matilda explained as Dolph stored that away for later.. The little girl looked a lot like a younger Jenny, he'd sort of noticed it since he'd seen photos of her as a child now.

"Come on out, boy.. If you wanna know the Jenny that I know.. I got plenty of stories.. I ain't gonna let that girl leave here without embarassin her a little bit." Matilda said as Dolph followed her out into the yard.

Jenny laughed and watched Alexa running, laughing, throwing a football to her. Jumping, she caught it and for a moment, she had the oddest passing thought.. Would her own child have been like Alexa, athletic and a little bit of a smartass?

Something about the little girl reminded her a lot of herself at Alexa's age and she could remember a time before she'd come here, before her daddy went into a 7 11 to get a pack of cigarettes and a cup of coffee, some donuts for the rest of the boys on the force, and he hadn't walked back out.. She'd been happy, full of energy.

She hadn't found that again until she'd come to live here, under Mama Mattie's roof. And people looked at Mattie strangely, because she was willing to take in any child no matter what age, skin color, background. Her doors were always open.

"Is that tree house still up?"

"You know about it?" Alexa asked with wide eyes and a bright grin before grabbing her hand. Before Jenny realized it, she and Alexa were sitting in the tree house that she and a few of the boys who'd stayed in the home with her for a while built togethr one long and boring summer day. "Carved my name right in the wood." Jenny was just finishing as Dolph and Zack came up the ladder noisily, Summer in tow..

"Is the birthday girl ready for her cake?" Dolph asked with a grin as he winked at Jenny, teasingly. Jenny gave him a raised brow and bit her lower lip.

If the guy knew what those eyes of his did to her..

_'Damn it, girl, you are not gonna be like all the other girls. He's just using you for... Well, for somethin, Jenny, don't be an idiot. He might look good, he might be actin all sweet and funny and irresistable right now.. But he's only after something.. At least ninety percent of the male species is.' _she thought to herself as she finally nodded and said "We're comin right down."

"Might wanna.. We're all finding out about the real Jenny Vaughn." Dolph joked as Jenny groaned, dropped her head and said "She's telling you embarassing stories.. Isn't she?"

"Not so much embarassing as they are enlightening." Dolph said as he smirked, enjoying the day so far. He'd learned a lot about her, and he'd figured out a way around this wall she had up.. He thought so at least.. Now the only thing left to do was make sure that this wasn't just some phase...

Because he'd gotten into girls before, gotten bored and moved on.. And frankly, he'd started to realize that it was really a lonely existance. And a shallow one.

But she lived that way too.

Jenny and Alexa sat down at the table and the group began talking and eating, And when the conversation died a little, Jenny had an idea..

She tried to talk herself out of it, but she just couldn't.. She'd been in Alexa's shoes before, she'd been the last kid standing and she knew that it had to hurt, even if Alexa seemed totally fine with it.

This idea might just cost her more than she bargained for, but before she could stop it, it was out there..

She wanted a chance to have a family, damn it.. And she could and wanted to do this.. Because Alexa was a sweet little girl. And she deserved at least one parent.. Not that Mattie wasn't damn good at raising kids..

But Jenny, for whatever reason, felt this bond with the little girl sitting next to her, listening to the stories being shared with wide and bright interested eyes... Something inside her was telling her that there was a reason she'd come to the childrens home she'd grown up in, on a day when Alexa had been the only kid left. And that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't for Alexa's birthday wishes.

The key to figuring it out lie in Jenny's idea.

And if she'd even be allowed to do what she wanted and take Alexa in.. All the odds were against it, but she finally decided what the hell..

If they turned her down, she'd fight harder.

And the COO couldn't actually say shit to her, because his own kids came to the shows a lot.. As well as several other kids of the Superstars and Divas she worked with.

"Actually, Mama Mattie.. Can I talk to you for a second? Inside?" she asked as Matilda looked at her a minute then grinned and asked "What's this about, girl? Is it about that guy? Because I like him, hon.. I don't think he means bad."

"No, Mama Mattie.. Let's not go planning weddings.. I wanna talk to you about Alexa.."

She crowed in delight and said "That was gonna be my next guess." as she said "Let's go in my office.. I think I can pull something off.. Might be temporary for now.. But that little girl, Jenny.. She reminded me so much of you.. I guess that's why I sent you all that stuff about her and the picture."

Jenny nodded then went over and whispered into Summer Rae's ear what she was about to do and Summer Rae smiled as she responded, "Give me a second.. I'll write down my address. Maybe it'll help."

Jenny winked and pocketed the napkin then made a mock zipping of her lips. The reality of what she was about to do hit her as soon as she was sitting on the other side of Matilda's desk in her small cozy office.

Matilda handed her paper after paper and she filled them all out as quickly and as accurately as she could.

"Guess it's good you're going to be in town a few days, huh?" Matilda asked when Jenny finished.. Jenny nodded nervously.. If this all worked right, she'd be leaving New Orleans at the end of the trip there with Alexa.

The thought both excited and terrified her.

Once they were all in their cars, Jenny turned to Summer and said numbly, "Did I just make a huge mistake? I don't know anything about kids.. Like at all." and proceeded to groan. Summer laughed a little and reassured her new friend "I think you'll be okay, Jenny.. You don't really give yourself a lot of credit, do you?"

"Only to fuck shit up." Jenny laughed sheepishly as she and Summer drove to the location that Fan Axxess was being held.

Now to find out if she was going to have to pick a kid or her career.. Somehow, she had a feeeling that if things worked out, she wouldn't.. But if they didn't, she kind of already knew what she was going to choose...

Finding their COO was easy.. But talking to him was making her more nervous than she'd been in a while. And after explaining the situation, he looked at her for a few moments.. "You're not plannin on leavin.. Right? Because that match on Smackdown.. Gave me ideas for you and Summer Rae for the longterm.."

"No sir.. I just kinda thought..."

"If I told you it was your job or your kid, I'd have to do that to all the guys on the roster who have kids.. And we'd have literally no show.. So, it's technically best for business.. Just keep her out of the damn way, okay?"

"Got it."

She turned and walked over to Summer's booth, collapsing into a folding chair.. "Well, I'm gonna be here longer.. Now to see if the state actually trusts my ass to take in a kid, maybe even adopt her eventually when I get things right."

Summer high fived her friend and then smiled to herself. While Jenny had been talking to Paul about the situation, she'd had an interesting conversation with Zack.. And it had confirmed her suspicions about Dolph and why he kept showing up and trying to talk to Jenny lately.

And she and Zack, a few of their other friends had decided that maybe a little meddling was in order...

It couldn't hurt, right?

Jenny Vaughn's life was about to go from average and dull to interesting.. And she had no idea what lie ahead.. She only hoped to hell that the state allowed her to take Alexa with her.. Because the connection she'd felt to the little girl when she'd met her in person.. In some ways, it'd been like the one she'd felt with the baby she'd only gotten to hold one time.

Maybe it meant something, maybe it didn't.. But having been in the same situation as Alexa when she was little, and quite frequently, at that, Jenny just didn't think she'd be able to leave town when Wrestlemania week was over without the little girl.


	5. the process begins II

O.o.O

She felt her cell phone vibrating and rolled over. Summer Rae tapped her awake and then held out the phone, still yawning, half asleep. "Holy hell, it's six am.. Who in the name of Christ in a manger calls at six am?" Jenny mused before remembering what today was, what she was supposed to find out today.. Seeing the number and id of the caller on her cell phone's screen, she suddenly had mixed emotions about answering... What if she got turned down?

What if the state thought it was too damn risky, giving her a child?

Even if it was only temporary, for now.. Jenny had no doubts in her mind, by this point, after two more visits to see Alexa, with Summer Rae coming along to at least one of them, that sooner or later, she was going to get it all together and then she was going to adopt the sweet little 5 year old. So what she was doing things ass backwards? She'd never been a girl who did things when they made sense to be done, actually. And she felt this in her heart.. She needed to do this. Summer Rae asked casually, "So are you answering?"

"I'm afraid to.."

"Pick up the damn phone, seriously.. The worst they can do is say no.. Then we fight them on it. We do whatever it takes." Summer insisted as Jenny nodded and stepped out of the room, finally answering the phone. A stern voiced and possibly elderly woman on the other end of the line went into this long spiel about how normally, they didn't just give kids to people who only filled out papers to become a foster parent, but due to extenuating circumstances and several people calling in on Jenny's behalf, they were going to give Jenny a chance.

And that she had to report back to Louisiana in about six months, with Alexa, to be reassessed. Then they'd discuss any and all matters regarding things becoming more permanent. Jenny gaped at the phone as she let the shock process. She was so stunned, actually, that she didn't even ask what the extenuating circumstances in her case were and why she had to come back into Louisiana for a second hearing in six months. She hung up after the stern voiced elderly woman told her that she could stop by the childrens home any time today and pick up the girl.

Summer Rae smiled to herself inside their shared hotel room when she heard Jenny screaming (and probably swearing in Creole/French) out in the hallway. From down the hall someone peeked out of their room and shouted "Shut the fuck up, seriously." and Jenny shouted back "Suck my invisible lady dick, buddy." before composing herself and turning, darting into the hotel room.

She hadn't felt this excited since the first time she'd held her daughter, or the first time she'd taped up her wrists and stepped into that ring she called her second home. "So.. taking it to mean that went well?" Summer asked, though she knew already that it had.. She also knew that she, along with a few others who'd gotten to know Jenny recently, and most importantly, Dolph, all went to the board who made the decisions as to whether someone could become a foster parent or adopt, and they'd sort of pleaded Jenny's case.

Mama Mattie was a persistant woman when she wanted something done, and apparently, she too wanted Jenny to wind up taking Alexa in as much as Jenny herself wanted this to happen. Jenny personally had been before the board at least 4 times since the day she'd started the whole process earlier in the week. Now it was Monday of the following week and Jenny would be going to pick up Alexa.

This made Summer Rae happy as Jenny's closest and probably only friend.

"So.. What are we waiting on? Let's get ready to go?" they both said at the same time, racing to the shower. Summer Rae beat Jenny into the shower, and Jenny worked on trying to figure out all of the things a 5 year old little girl might need. Biting her lower lip, she tore the piece of paper her list was on off the notepad and shoved it into the pocket of her jeans.. She'd worry about a shower later, she was far too excited to function right now. Instead, she got dressed and was sitting and waiting on Summer Rae who took longer.

Finally, they were on their way to pick up (and surprise, both Mama Mattie and Jenny agreed that this had to be a total surprise for Alexa) Alexa, and then to any and every store they'd need to stop at on their way back to the hotel. Jenny felt oddly at peace with what she'd done, and the hole she'd had in her didn't feel totally filled, but it wasn't a large gaping one as it had been before.

She wasn't stupid though, she knew that the pain would always remain there. That she'd always grieve the child she'd had to give up and most likely lost. Alexa needed her and she was realizing now, maybe she needed little Alexa too. Maybe she needed family and roots. Maybe Mama Mattie hadn't been wrong after all.

They pulled into the driveway at the childrens home and Mama Mattie walked out onto the porch, grinning an ear to ear grin as she hugged Jenny who hugged her back tightly. "So... In six months.. you're not gonna mind me and Alexa crashing here for a few nights.. Right?" Jenny asked as the woman laughed a rolling laugh from deep within her and smiling brightly said "The hell kind of question is that, chere.. You're both family. I'd beat your little butt if you didn't come by while you two were here."

She nodded and Alexa walked to the door tentatively, still half asleep, a little grouchy because of it. But she squealed when she saw Jenny standing there. Hugging her legs she looked up and asked "You come to visit me again?"

"Actually, little bit.. I came to take you with me.." Jenny said nervously as Alexa blinked then squealed and climbed up Jenny's body and into her arms. "You mean you gonna takes me too? And keep me?"

"Mhmm.. I mean we don't know for how long yet.. But I'm gonna do all I can, little bit, to keep ya with me for good. That's cool, right?" Jenny asked as Alexa planted sloppy kisses all over her face. Jenny laughed and Alexa climbed down and ran up the hall, shutting the door hurriedly, emerging later with a bag almost full to bursting of all the stuff she had. Jenny laughed and Summer Rae said "And we're still going shopping right? I mean she deserves nice things."

"She does and yes.. We definitely are.. You don't mind helpin me? I barely do okay pickin out my own clothes and stuff.." as Summer Rae smiled and then nodding said "I think we'll manage." as Alexa asked Jenny, "So is I gonna be your little girl?"

"Maybe we'll be able to make that happen.. You can call me whatever you want though, I don't want to force anything." Jenny explained as Alexa grinned and said "I call you Mama Jenny. And I call her Aunty Summer."

"And I love that idea, little bit." Summer beamed as the two friends and the little girl made their way noisily back out to the Dodge Charger that Jenny drove while on the road.


	6. maybe people aren't so bad after all

O.o.O

Jenny laughed as Alexa emerged from a dressing room, twisting and twirling in a black and dark purple tutu that had sparkly fibers throughout it and a black and purple sweater with the cat from Alice In Wonderland grinning on the front. "Well? It a stupit dress.. But it got that smilin kitty on it." Alexa asked as she tapped brand new black Converses against the tile floor of the shopping center impatiently. Summer Rae and Jenny looked at it, and then at her, Jenny smiled and gave Alexa a thumbs up then said "Found you somethin else.."

She held out a child sized leather jacket similar to her own. Alexa jumped up and down and clapped, laughing and hugging Jenny. "It's just like you jacket!" she chirped excitedly as Summer Rae nodded and then said "And you can wear that tutu when Aunt Summer walks down to her match tonight with Mommy Jenn.. We're all gonna look just alike." as she held out a fuzzy cat eared headband.

"Ooh, pretty."

"Yes it is, my little black kitten... So, we should get back to the hotel, yeah?" Jenny asked as Alexa nodded and scrambled up into her arms. Alexa could walk just fine, yes, but Jenny liked carrying her around. And Alexa hadn't ever had a mother to love her, her mother had been taken from the kid before she was even old enough to say her first actual word, let alone take her first step. All Alexa had ever actually had was Mama Mattie. God knew that in itself was a fountain of overflowing love, but there wasn't anything in the world like having a mom to carry you, hold you while you cried, let you sleep in her bed at night when you got scared or something.

Summer Rae texted their friends to let them know that she and Jenny were en route with the little girl, Alexa. She'd sort of put together something so they could all get to know Jenny like she did, so that Alexa knew she had a family and if the two women on either side of her could help it, she'd have a family for good.. Crazy, a little dysfunctional, but a family all the same.

She'd gotten a lot of people to show up, surprisingly, Dolph had actually spent a lot of time bugging her to help plan the thing. And he'd gotten the word around to people they worked with that it was just a small thing in the hotel's pool area, everybody was going to put the bullshit onscreen aside and celebrate a little, relax a lot. No cameras, no Authority, no pressure.

"So.. You two up for a swim when we get to the hotel? I mean it's pretty out, it's a hot day." Summer Rae hinted, a mischevious gleam in her eye as she looked at Jenny who gave her a raised brow but asked Alexa who clapped and giggled then said "I can wear my new swimsuit." Summer Rae texted back when they were almost at the hotel, letting the group gathered waiting know they were all on the way.

"Okay, what's up?"

"Nothing, really."

"Bullcrap, girl." Jenny laughed as Summer Rae bit her lower lip and shrugged, her best poker face on. They'd just walked into the hotel room, were changing into their swimsuits and were heading back down to the pool when Dolph stepped out, wearing swim trunks. "On your way to swim?"

"Yeah, thought we'd cool off. It's so hot out." Jenny explained awkwardly, wishing she'd worn jeans with the oversized tank top she wore to cover her swimsuit suddenly. She raked her hand through her hair and then smiling said "They let me keep Alexa. Gotta come back this way in six to reevaluate but for now, Alexa's gonna be on the road with me.." as she looked up at him. He smiled, nodded and said casually, "Told you they'd let you take her." as she added, "Thanks.. I mean I heard a few of you guys spoke to the board too."

"Not a problem.. We're all kind of like a family.. Even though we don't always get along or act like it. And I thought you'd be good for Alexa." Dolph said, waving his hands at her as he said "So.. Let's go to the pool."

"Yeah."

Just as she stepped through the doors of the pool area, Dolph covered her eyes with one hand, laughing as she asked "What the hell?" and covered Alexa's eyes with the other. He shrugged as people yelled Surprise and he took his hands down. She blinked and looked at Summer Rae who explained, "You've been a better friend to me than a lot of girls on the roster.. I wanted to do this for you and Alexa."

Alexa giggled and clapped, happy and excited. Jenny hugged Summer Rae, t hough the gesture, of course, was a slightly less stiff than normal one. Maybe all people weren't so bad, she thought to herself as she found herself fielding questions left and right, one person making the remark that they actually thought Alexa could be Jenny's actual daughter.

Jenny smiled as she watched Alexa swimmming in the kiddie end of the pool and said quietly, "Sometimes I dream of what she'd have looked like.. And Alexa's what I pictured, actually."

"She resembls you a lot." Cameron remarked as Jenny mulled that over.. She dismissed the thought because surely there's no way it could be anything more than wishful thinking. She was just happy that she actually had a chance to be a mother figure to this happy and energetic little girl. That's all she'd been hoping for since their paths crossed at Mama Mattie's insistance.


End file.
